An Inspector Calls: The Committee
by Pirrip
Summary: The story of what happened when Eva Smith went to ask Mrs Birling's committee for help in An Inspector Calls.


Silence.

Eva felt like she was lining up to be shot. Why was she here? They'd see through her in an instance! She knew she should have planned something, written a speech of some sort, but when she had sat down at the dirty table in her cheap rented room she couldn't think of what she should write.

She stood silently in front of the extensive darkly varnished table. Three pairs of hooded, indifferent eyes bore into her bowed head. Cold eyes… Prejudiced…

What should she say? They'd just send her back into the filth. Perhaps-

"Tell us about yourself," the women on the left asked imperiously, trimly arranging a pile of loose papers, her large pink feathered hat wobbling precariously on her sharply moulded hair.

"M-my h-husband…" Eva paused, gulping down air, "My husband left me. He left me and I'm pregnant. I'm homeless and broke… And-" Eva paused, gulping down air once more, staring at the feet of the women in the centre, "Please… I-I need your help…"

"And your name is…?" asked the woman on the left, waiting for an answer that didn't arrive. She scowled, "Come child, we do not have all day!"

The lady on the right sneered slightly as she leaned back into her plush chair, clasping her hands together. She also sported an outlandish hat. Each of the women was like brightly coloured vultures: they seemed to be waiting for her to trip. Just lounging there in their great ugly hats- "I'm Mrs Birling ma'am."

Silence.

Oh, why had she said Mrs Birling? Why did the first name that came into her head have to be the name of the committee's chair? She knew that she should have planned something!

The vultures glared, daring Eva to go on, "Is Mrs Birling your real name?" asked the real Mrs Birling, staring down from the centre of the platform their table had been placed upon. A fat white Persian cat wandered into the room, it's claws clicking against the wooden floor. The cat clambered onto the pink vultures lap. The vulture began to pet the cat slowly like a villain in a melodrama. "Is Mrs Birling your real name?" echoed the pink vulture, although the voice seemed to come from the cat.

"No m-ma'am."

"So you have no claim to the name?" Mrs Birling was spitting venom.

Eva was trapped, "N-no ma'am."

"Then why claim it as your own?"

"I-I… It was the first name that came to me-"

"And I suppose you are not a married woman either," Mrs Birling asked- it wasn't a question but a statement.

"…No m-ma'am…"

Mrs Birling sneered down at Eva, deciding that she didn't like this impertinent child, "So you lied to our committee?"

"I-" stuttered Eva.

"Go and look for the father of the child."

Eva tucked her mousy brown hair behind her ear, biting her lip. Mrs Birling raised an eyebrow leaning forwards slightly like a cat toying with a mouse. Eva's eyes dropped to the floor once more as she began to twist her hands, wringing imaginary water out of her threadbare cap, "Y-yes, I-I… I'm certain but-"

"Then it's his responsibility" Mrs Birling was bored of the child, so she began to hurry the conversation along, "You should have gone to him first."

"B-but, but, it just wasn't suitable for either of us. He was young, drunk! It wouldn't have worked out. I-I couldn't have taken any more money from him. I can't tale any stolen money! You must understand. You have to understand!" Eva paused, thinking of the child's father, Eric, the son of the vulture in front of her. You should understand!"

The pink vulture watched Eva warily, "We'll discuss your… appeal."

The three vultures grouped together, heads bent, whispering feverishly. Finally, after what seemed like weeks to Eva, the vulture broke apart. Mrs Birling studied the girl. There was a long pause before Mrs Birling studied the girl. There was a long pause before Mrs Birling muttered the immortal words, "You should have gone to the father of the child. Not us."

The world stopped, Eva was shocked. They- they refused her?

Silence.


End file.
